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10/24/22 Ola!


 #Worst.mom.ever! (me, not grandma Laurito!)


Sorry you made it to pday morning and no letter was in your box. I thought of it a ka-jillion times but never stopped to take the time to write this weekend. I'm gonna try to hurry and get it done before my walk this morning!!!


It is October 24, 2022. Gma Deanna Jane Laurito would have been 82 years old today. Happy Birthday to Grandma in heaven.  Sure love that lady. I know you don't have many memories of her but she was a talented wonderful mom. 


She got up for early morning seminary with me at 4 a.m. and drove me to church - which wasn't particularly close. She often had a hot breakfast ready. She would sit and wait an hour all the years I couldn't drive myself. Which was a lot because you can't drive until you are 17 in NJ. 


She made me prom dresses (that had mixed reviews...one I loved, the other was TOO big and I didn't love...but she spent hours trying!  haha)


She was so talented...she painted, stain glass windowed, cake decorated, sewed, did calligraphy, sang. She figured you could do anything you wanted to do. Just try it. And if it didn't work try it again until it did. Cause you could! 


She was funny and smart and loving and generous and kind and patient. She waited her whole entire married life for my dad to convert to the gospel. And then several years after her death he finally got baptized. She had heartache about that. She wanted the priesthood in her home and she never had it except for visits from ward members. 


She dealt with so much heartache with my brother David and his shenanigans. He was born addicted and even though he was adopted at a week old he already had big problems that she struggled with for years and years and years. Imagine a child that fails to thrive (he was tiny and wouldn't eat and grow as an infant); fussy; etc. Figured out smoking by 5. (Cousin Danny taught him and then he would steal them). Drinking and drugs to the point of addition by 10. In and out of rehabs by 12. Violent. Anti-social terrorist. All the while grandpa worked in other states and countries so she had to battle him on her own. 


She struggled with depression and loneliness but most people would never know because she always smiled and laughed and made things happy and better for everyone.


So today think of Grandma and her quilts and the love that she would wrap around you and the laughter that would fill your ears and the encouragement and pride you would feel from her. She was so sad to get cancer and have to leave us all. She wanted to be there for your growing up and your weddings and your grand babies. And I suppose she is. Just not where she wanted to be. Now she is your angel grandma that protects you from afar. She loves you so much. And so do I!!!!


Cancer sucks. #Breast Cancer awareness month. 


We had a pretty fast week last week. All the usuals - pickleball, chamber luncheon - with Senator Chris Stewart. I had several meetings. One of them was going to the 222 National Guard breakfast and recruiting some guys for my veterans day program. They are getting old -- these guys were all 45-85 (more toward 85, there was probably only a couple under 60). They really love that they are getting honored. 


Yesterday we went to Jenna's homecoming. She did a great job. They had a nice luncheon afterward and then we came home and two and half hours later we had dinner. So stuffed!  haha


My spiritual thought for the week comes from Julia Fink's talk in church yesterday. I got to have my church babies without mommy or daddy yesterday - they spoke!!!  Their grandma and aunt and cousin came but they mostly wanted to hang with me. 


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